1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for water-pipe smoking, more particularly to an apparatus with an electric heating unit for water-pipe smoking.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional water-pipe 1 is shown to comprise an upright pipe body 11, a smoke guide duct 12 extended into the pipe body 11, a bowl body 13 mounted on top of the pipe body 11, a cover plate 14 disposed in the bowl body 13, and a mouthpiece unit 15 coupled to the pipe body 11. The pipe body 11 has a lower portion formed with a reservoir 111 to be partially filled with a liquid body (such as water). The pipe body 11 further has a spout 112 in fluid communication with the reservoir 111 above the liquid body. The smoke guide duct 12 has a lower end that extends into the liquid body in the reservoir 111, and an upper end that extends into a smoke passageway 131 of the bowl body 13. The cover plate 14 spans the smoke passageway 131, and prevents combustible smoking material in the bowl body 13 from falling into the smoke passageway 131.
In use, the combustible smoking material is placed in the bowl body 13 on top of the cover plate 14, and is subsequently covered with a tin foil 16. Burning charcoal 17 is then placed on top of the tin foil 16 for causing the smoking material to combust. Smoke that results from combustion of the smoking material flows through the smoke guide duct 12 into the liquid body in the reservoir 111. The liquid body can filter out ash and other impurities in the smoke. The filtered smoke subsequently bubbles through the liquid body, and can be inhaled by the smoker through the mouthpiece unit 15.
In the aforesaid conventional water-pipe 1, the charcoal 17 is in a burning state when placed in the bowl body 13. Therefore, as the temperature of the charcoal 17 drops over time, the flavor of the smoke being inhaled by the smoker deteriorates (i.e., the flavor becomes weaker and less concentrated), which necessitates more charcoal 17 to be placed in the bowl body 13. In addition, the burning charcoal 17 must be removed before more smoking material can be added into the bowl body 13. These result in inconvenience and safety issues when the conventional water-pipe 1 is in use.